The Northern Land Council expressed concerned this week over recent findings by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption's investigation into allegations of racism within the NT Police Tactical Response Group.
The Council said systemic racism in the NT Police Force, both the Tactical Response Group (TRG) and more generally, is "not just a relic of the past".
"Our communities continue to share their stories of discrimination and injustice at the hands of law enforcement," the Council said in a statement.
The NLC noted that despite uncovering evidence of historical racist conduct, perpetuating harmful stereotypes of Aboriginal people, the ICAC chose to close its probe into TRG without adverse findings or further investigation.
The Council said ICAC's conclusion that there was no admissible evidence to warrant individual charges or resources for further inquiry into NT Police failed "to reflect the lived realities of Aboriginal people across the Top End".
The NLC said it would not accept "any attempt to minimise or dismiss these harmful practices as isolated or historic", and that the Commission's "failure to hold individuals or the institution accountable undermines the gravity of the issue and reinforces mistrust in the system".
NLC chair Matthew Ryan said "things can only improve if we start with truth telling".
"This flawed report by ICAC on the NT Police, and especially that there will be no further investigation, is disappointing," he said.
"It goes against what the NLC hears from our people on the ground. ICAC coming out and saying racism has not been a problem in the last decade, just makes everyone have even less trust in the systems, and that things will get better."
The Council said NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy's acknowledgment of the "police service's historical and ongoing impacts on Aboriginal communities", followed by apologies at the NLC's most recent Full Council Meeting as well as Garma Festival earlier year, were "important steps in the right direction", and for ICAC to "gaslight Aboriginal Territorians" by denying racism beyond 2015, "only damages reconciliation efforts, including those that are currently being made by the NT Police".
Mr Ryan said the Northern Land Council "will continue to demand change to ensure that our constituents feel safe, respected, and heard".
"We ask the NT Police Force to work with Aboriginal leaders and communities to confront the issues that continue today," he said.
The NLC called on NT Government and the NT Police to "continue to take meaningful steps toward addressing systemic racism".
The Council also said NT Police need to be properly directed and resourced to ensure the law is upheld across the Territory, noting that it has experienced some instances where NT Police "appear reluctant to uphold the law on Aboriginal Land and Waters".
"It is our hope that NT Police and other relevant authorities can work more closely with our Permits Officers and Aboriginal Rangers on compliance," the NLC said.
The Council noted it is in conversations with NT Police to support cross-cultural training in the NLC seven regions, and that it is "crucial that NT Police continue to engage directly with Aboriginal communities to rebuild trust and establish independent oversight to investigate all complaints of racial discrimination".
